What was the best anniversary party you went to?

marge727February 15, 2010

I'm looking for ideas for a 10th wedding anniversary. What was the best/most interesting/fun anniversary party you went to? Ours will be in the garden at home. Did they have a cake like a wedding cake except smaller? Music?

The best parties I have been to, anniversary or otherwise, are when there is nice food, drink, and great company. Unless you are planning to have dancing, music is good if it mostly stays in the background. One thing I would suggest is not to make TOO big a deal about the anniversary during the party. A nice toast to the couple or a VERY short speech by the couple "thanks for sharing our special event with us, now have fun!" is all that's needed.

I've been to parties such as birthday or anniversary where the history of the honoree(s) was told, lots of speeches by loved ones, etc. and it's incredibly dull. It stops all conversation, eating and drinking, and it's mostly a lot of stuff that the rest of the guests have no interest in. If you want to do something like that with the close friends/family, I think it should be done before the rest of the guests arrive in a more private moment.

I don't remember seeing a wedding type cake at any anniversary parties I've been to.

I haven't been to any anniversary parties where they made a big deal about the anniversary, either. They just gave a terrific party, fancy or casual. No speeches or toasts, except maybe a welcome from the hosts and a short toast to each other. Definitely no wedding-ish cake, although I think a decorated cake that says something like "Cuthbert and Petunia / Ten happy years."

My parents gave themselves a 40th anniversary party. We got hold of the guest list and wrote to the guests (and some other out of town close friends and relatives) and asked them to write out and send a favorite memory and perhaps a picture. We put them in an album and gave it to them at the party. We hadn't anticipated it, but many of the guests enjoyed looking through it. And my dad surprised my mom by announcing a gift to her favorite charity. Other than that, it was just a very nice party.

So that's what I would do -- just give a great party and don't worry about the anniversary part. Don't mention it on the invitations, and then you don't have to worry about anyone mistakenly thinking you are trying to get gifts. At the party, you can have a champagne toast. Maybe have a few pictures of yourselves at your wedding incorporated into centerpieces, on the bar, etc. You can also have a white color scheme, and why not a corsage? I think that those touches would make it plenty anniversaryish. Any more would start being too much, in my opinion.

Gellchom & lowspark
Oddly we haven't been to many anniversary parties (mostly funerals at our age) so I appreciate your suggestions.Maybe a good choice would be a Western BBQ party in our garden. We have grown children and didn't make much of a fuss with the wedding which was also in the same garden. In California 10 years is a long marriage! I am glad I don't need a wedding type cake. Maybe a cake shaped like a mountain with us halfway saying "we made it this far" or with some Western theme--like crawling across the desert.
As a BBQ people would dress casually or Western.
We do have room for dancing and could get live music or a DJ. We are in Southern California and want to do it in September, so the weather will be fine I would guess.
Thanks for the advice about not letting family or friends make any speeches, that can be awful.

I don't think toasts from friends and relatives are per se a bad idea, as long as they are reasonably spontaneous. I wouldn't make a program out of it or ask people in advance. I'd just do your own welcome to your guests and perhaps toast each other, then if people decide to join in and it feels right, why not? But anything more formal ... I don't know .. maybe for a 50th anniversary, but not a tenth -- even in California! Ten years is still only ten years since the wedding, wherever you are.

I made cakes for friends & church functions for many years, never for 10th anniversary tho. 25th was start of that. I did my folks 50th anniversary & had a wedding style cake(they eloped so never had a wedding cake) bro.gave short run-through of their life just mentioning original place they lived, 5 kids,& yr they moved to Ca. Rest of "their lives for 50 yrs" was in a collage of pics I had made & put on "Memory table" (Victorian theme, lace tablecloth, live plants, old fine ladies gloves, couple of antique pieces,sheet music to favorite song, yr they were married & playing with other songs from that yr under the table so didn't hear it unless close, etc) so people interested could look at pics over the yrs. That way there was plenty of time for "catching up" as many guests came from out of state & others ,folks had worked with could learn more about all those yrs without long speech. I planned 60th anniversary & it was just family & close friends & "Memory"table had pics of new grandkids & weddings of GK's since the 50th for friends to see that had moved some distance away or lost touch (large family) Just have good food & enjoy your party & getting caught up on everyone's lives!!

Keep the food simple...appetizers and an array of bite sized baked goods arranged in 'stations' around the reception area to keep guests moving around the room/rooms. Depending on your budget, a bartender is always a good idea. Set up a collage or albums of pictures for those who want to peek at the couple's life together.
Relax and enjoy!